Electric sparking mechanism for explosive-engines.



No. 831,274.: PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

. H. A. PRANTZ. I ELECTRIC SPARKING MECHANISM FOR BXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1905.

PATENT oFFIoE. A

UNITED STATES HIRAM A. FRANTZ, OF'CHERRYVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. ELECTRIC SPARKING MECHANISM FOR EXPLQSlVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18 1906.

Application filed January 9. 1905. Serial No. 240,133.

' ing is a specification.

described in connection with the acconipanymg drawings, illustrating a preferre out in the claims.

, My invention relates to an improved sparking mechanism for explosive-engines, as fully embodiment thereof, and specifically pointed Figure 1 is a sectional t1on of an explosion-engine cylinder, showin my invention applied to the head thereof an indicating the relative arrangement of apiston whose movement is adapted to automatically operate the sparking mechanism at the proper .timps. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 2 2 at right angles to that of Fig. 1.

The cylinder 1, provided with the usual Water-jacket chamber 2, contains the piston 3, which is represented at about the limit of its upward compression movement and in the act of operating the sparking mechanism. The latter is mountedin the waterjacketed cylinder-head 4 and. comprises the adjustably-fixed insulated electrode 5, the electrode tral opening =1 justed position by point 6, carried by the pivoted lever 7, and. the means for normally maintaining contact between the electrodes excepting atthe exactly predetermined moments for sparking and explosion, when such contact is broken by the action of a projecting finger Supon the pivoted lever 7 to rock the latter, as indie cated, upon its pivotal connection 9 to the cylinder-head. Said finger 8 is adjustably fixed on.the.piston, sothat its extent of pr'o jection may ,be regulated.

The spark-plug 10 screws into the opening 11 in the cylinder-head and is locked in adthe jam-nut 12. The elecpasses loosely through'the cen- V 14 of the plug and through insulatorebushings 15'and- .16 in the latter and is trode stem 5 held in'position therein by the jam-nut 17,

' fs ssparkepoint 6 and is'pivoted intorinediately while its screw-threaded, lower end enters the screw-collar ,18, abutting midway of the length of thelatter with the extension spark point 19. The circuit-wire is clamped between the jam-nuts -17 and 21 on the stem 5. The lever 7, which carries at one end the elevation of aporof its length at 9, is closely guided between the extended pivot-ears 22 22, depending from the cylinder-head, so as to be practically in contact with said ears except at its extremities, the urpose of this arrangement being to utilize t e water-jacket of the cylinder-head in carrying 01f from the lever through the contacting ears 22 22 the excessive heat, which is otherwise apt to interfere with proper sparking. To-provide for normally holding the electrode-points 19 and 6 in contact, I employ a spring-projected'plunger 23 in the cylinder-head, arranged to press upon the opposite end of the lever 7, so as to hold up thespark-point 6 against the point 19 excepting when positively depressed-fiby v the finger 8 of thepiston striking the opposite end of the lever 7 and raising the latter,'together with the spring-depressed plunger 23, thereby rocking the lever and breaking the contact to roduce the igniting spark for the compresse charge of gas. The projection of the finger 8 from thepiston may be ro erly regulated, and the electrodes ans t e tension-spring 24' for plunger 23 maybe nicely adjusted, so as to insure the'sparking action at exactly the right moment for ex-' ploding the charge, and when once properly adjusted the explosions are sure to recur continuously at the proper times What 'I claim is- 1. A sparking mechanism for explosiveengines, com rising in combination with the cylinder-hes, having a cooling-jacket, a pair of electrodes, a pivoted lever carrying one of said electrodes, means acting on one end of said lever for normally maintainingthe elec-' trode at its other end in contact with the other electrode, means for periodically operating said lever to break said contact and ears depending from said cylinder-head and betweenwhich said lever is fulcrumed, said earsbeing approximately in contact with said lever throughout their length and prolonged beyond the fulcrum of the latter and terminating contiguous to the ends of the same, whereby they support and guide said lever and also efficiently transfer thereto the cooling efiect of said jacket, substantially as described.

p 2. A sparking mechanismior explosive engines comprising,

the lower end of said stem, an extension spark-point engaged with said collar, an electrode-carrying lever for making contact with said point, means for normally maintaining said contact and means for-periodically operating said lever to break said contact.

3. A sparking mechanism for explosiveengines com rising, in combination with the en ine cy' er and piston, ,a sparking plug ad ustably mounted in said cylinder, an electrode; stem adjustably and insulatedly mounted in said plug, means for fixing said stem in adjusted position, a screW-collar-engaging the lower end of said stem, an extension spark-point engaged with said collar, an electrode-carrying lever for making contact with said point, means actin on said lever for normally maintaining sai contact and a finger adj ustably fixed to said piston and acting on said lever to periodically break said contact. t

tension point, a lever pivoted between its ends and having'one of its ends provided with an adjustably-fixed electrode to engage said point, means acting on the other end of said lever for normally maintainin contact between said electrodes, and a i mger adjust: ably fixed to said piston and operating on said lever to break said contact.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM A. FRANTZ.

Witnesses: I i

P. M. SMITH, H. H. HOWER. 

